Blowout preventer and valve



March 9,. 1943.

RB. sPRAGuE BLOWOAUT PREVENTER AND VALVE' Filed ne. s, 1940 2sheets-sheet gra/umm.

Roemer .E SPR/asus,

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 Uhiiiih STATES? PATENT FFECE 2,313,177 BLOWOUTPREVENTER AND VALVE seem s. Sprague, Wilmington, oaiif., assigner toRegan Forge and Engineering Company, a corporation of CaliforniaApplication December 3, 1940, Serial No. 368,353

Claims.

This invention relates generally to valves andV blowout preventers ofthe type used in drilling oil wells for controlling fluid pressure inwell casing and the like.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improvedvalve and blowout preventer for eiectively controlling high fluidpressures such as are encountered in the drilling of oil wells. It is aparticular object to provide a device of this nature requiring only asmall eilort to operate and which may be operated by fluid pressure ormanually.

It is also an object to provide a device which utilizes the force of thefluid flow from the well or through the conduit to be controlled to aidthe closing effort of the device and which utilizes the static iiuidpressure to aid in maintaining the device closed. It is a further objectto provide a device which can utilize the uid pressure in the wellcasing for operating the device when fluid is not iiowing through theconduit or casing being controlled.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a valve or blowoutpreventer of rugged construetion adaptable to entirely close the passagetherethrough or to close about a pipe extending through the device. Inthis connection it is a further object to provide pipe centering meanson the portion of the device adapted for closing about a pipe.

It is a still further object to provide a blowout preventer and valvewhich embodies elements for completely closing the passageway throughthe device and also embodies other elements for closing about a pipeextending through the device.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description. Re-Y embodying a means for closing about a'pipeandv also embodying means for entirely closing the passageway extendingthrough the device;Y

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line 6 5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on line 'l--l of Fig.6; and t A t n Fig.8 is a diagrammatic illustrationoi theup-4 per closure elements of Fig.6 shown closed about appeo More particularly describing the invention,reference numeral' i i generally indicates onetform of the blowoutpreventer or valve which is shown mounted-intermediate a well casing l2or the like. The device comprises a housing t3 having a main or` bodyportion l Il provided with a threaded opening Ilia to receive"the-casingl2. The body lliY is provided with acap or upper housing member l5, thetwo parts being connected by suitable boltsV Iiiextendingthroughadjacent iiange portions lil and l5 on the respectivemembers. Any suitable gasket means may b e utilized between the parts.The caphl is provided with a threaded Opening .Il ,to aCsQmmQdatB-theCasinem- A1- though in this form oi the invention the housing has beenprovided 'with threaded openings te ac commodate the sectionsxof thecasing, it is within the scope oi the invention to provide the `ordinarytime @tetti-malls ,liaageaead portions so that, the devies may be boltedto .other Well apparatus or casingin place of the type cf connectionshown.

The housing isA provided Witha passage 20 extending therethrough an'dpreferably at least asv large as the internal diameterof the casing I2.On opposite sides of this passage 'thel housingris provided with*recesses 2l ,each ofwhich is adapted to accommodate a passage closuremember or gate sector 22. Each recess is provided with an arcuatesurface Z whichterminates at the intersection with the circular `bore 25of thel member llV eXePtthe extrema lateralmarsins Where the two arcuatesurfaces terminate at apexes 26. The sides 2'!- and 2l' of the recesses2i are parallelly disposed. The cap-)l`v5`is recessed at 28 to form theupper boundary or limit of the recess 24.

Each of the gate sectors ispivotally mounted inA itscorrespondingrecesses by means of laterally extending stud shafts 3l!Yand Sii' which extend through' openings.' 3! in'the housing. Suitablepacking' glands 32'are provided to seal each shaft. The outer parts ofthese glands may bey secured to the'housingin any suitable'manner' asbybolts 32. The gate's'ectorsjare'provided with anV arcuate majorsurface33 (see Fig. 4) adapted to be juxtapositioned to therespectivearcuate surfacesy respective'recss finthehousing to form a fluidpressure chamber' such asL indicated at 35. In

ordei` to seal this chamber the rear surface of each sector is providedwith a exible seal of suitable material indicated at 36 which is securedto the sector by means of a suitable plate 31 and screws 38. Preferablythis seal and plate are recessed into the main body of the gate sectoras shown. To complete the sealing of the chambers 35, a pair oftransversely extending seals 40 are provided in the cap I5. These sealsengage the respective arcuate upper surface 4| of the sectors and insurea seal regardless of the position of the sectors. Means are provided, asthe threaded openings 42, for introducing fiuid under pressure to thechambers 35 for the purpose of removing thegate sectors from a positionof retraction of Fig. 1 to a position ofV passage closure as shown inFig. 4. It should be noted that when the gate sectors are moved to theirextreme position of closure as shown in Fig. 4 the sealing elements 36are still within the connes of the respective recesses in the housing,thereby making it possible to maintain fluid pressure against the gatesectors urging them and maintaining them in the closed position of Fig.4.

In order to insure a fluid tight closure the gate sectors are eachpreferably provided at their inner surfaces with a recessed portion 44adapted to accommodate a resilient sealing element such as a rubber oroil resistant rubber composition plate 45. Each of the plates is held inposition by means of a metal plate 46 which is bolted as at 41 to themain body of the gate sector. When the gate sectors are in their closedposition their inward movement is limited by reason of the fact that theplates 46 bear against the abutment surface 48 in the cap member. Withthis construction the pressure tending to move the gate sectors to aposition beyond that or inward of that shown in Fig. 4 causes the plates46 to compress the rubber plates 45 and thereby secure a more effectiveseal.

In order to synchronize the movement of the two gate sectors or passageclosure elements 22, the shafts 30 are provided at their outer ends withgears 50 which are keyed to the respective shafts. Intermediate thegears 50 are an idler gear 5| and a drive gear 52. The drive gear iskeyed to a shaft 53 and may be operated, if desired, by means of ahandle: 54. With this construction synchronism of the gate sectors isassured and at the same time means are provided for either retracting orclosing the gate sectors manually.

As a further means of operating the gate sectors, there is provided auid operable mechanism generally indicated by reference numeral 56 andillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. This mechanism comprises a housing 51having a pair of chambers each indicated by 58. In each chamber andkeyed to the respective shafts 36' of the gate sectors, are members 59.Each of these members is provided with an outer arcuate surface 66Vwhich substantially corresponds with inner surface 6| of the respectivechambers 58 whereby the members may be pivotally moved through an arc ofapproximately 90 within the housing. Each element is provided with asealing band 62 mounted in a groove 63 which extends across the arcuatesurface: 66 by each side and around a sleeve upper end portion 64. Theband also extends across the top as shown on the drawing in Fig. 3. Eachof the elements is mounted on a reduced portion 65 of the shaft 36' by`means of a'nut 66. The housing 51 is provided with a cover plate 51secured to the main body of the housing by means of any suitable boltssuch as shown at 61 with suitable gasket or sealing means between.

The housing is provided at the top with a threaded passage 68 by meansof which fluid under pressure may be introduced into or eX- hausted fromeach of the chambers 58 for the purpose of actuating the members 59. Apassageway 16 is provided which communicates with the opposite ends ofthe chambers 58 and is provided with a threaded port 1| through whichfluid pressure may be introduced for moving the members 59 to the brokenline position shown in Fig. 3. Additional threaded ports 1|' areprovided for the purpose of providing additional conduits connectingwith the passage 16.

With the construction shown and described it is possible to remove thesynchronizing and manually operable gear means, indicated generally byreference numeral 49, and the fluid operable means 56 from the remainderof the device merely by removing the nuts 59' and 66 respectively, itbeing then possible to pull or slide the elements 49 and 56 from theshafts 30, 30. This construction enables the ready interchange of gatesectors 22.

In the operation of the device when it is desired to close the passageextending through the housing the gate sectors may be moved from theposition of Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 4 merely by introducingfluid under pressure to the chambers 35 through the passages or ports42. This fluid pressure will serve to move the gate sectors to theclosed position Where the rubber plates 45 will engage to effectivelyseal the passage as hereinbefore described. In the event Huid is flowingupwardly through the casing |2 this will serve to aid the inwardmovement of the gate sectors to the closed position and when they areclosed the fluid pressure below the gate sectors will ordinarily serveto maintain them closed. In the event there is no fluid flowing throughthe casing l2, as would be the case where the casing I2 is closed at apoinft above the device I and there is considerable iiuid ypressure inthe casing, the gate sectors may be closed by the utilization of only avery low pressure fluid by making use of the fluid operable means 56providing the fluid in the casing is introduced to the chambers 35. Byintroducing fluid under pressure fthrough either of ports 1| or 1|' themembers 59 may be caused to move to the broken line position of Fig. 3thereby closing the gate sectors 22. In this connection as the effectivecombined area of the rear sides of the gate sectors and fthe effectiveareas of the members 59 is greater than the exposed or front sides ofthe gate sectors, it is possible to accomplish the closing of the gatesmerely by bleeding off the fluid pressure from the casing I2 to rtheiiuid operable means 56. It is of course within the scope of theinvention to rely entirely upon the introduction of fluid pressuregreater than the iiuid p-ressure in the casing behind the gate sectorsfor the closing of such elements. The retraction of the gate sectors maybe accomplished either by manually operating the handle 54 or byreversing the flow of fluid to the fluid operable means 56.

If desired, the two ponts 1|' of the fluid operable means 56 may beconnected respectively to the ports 42 of the blowout preventer or valveand in this manner fluid under pressure may be delivered through port 1|of the fluid operable means 56 to both fthe iiuid operable parts 'andthe gate sectors for moving the gates inwardly to a closed position.

In Figs. to 8 there is illustrated a form of the invention in whichmeans 14 are provided for entirely closing the passage 'through theblowout preventer and valve generally indicated by reference numeral 15and in which other means 16 are provided for closing about a pipe orcasing which may be extending through the outer casing 17.

In this form of the invention the housing 'i8 is provided which iscomprised of a lower member 19 and an intermediate member 8S and a capor top closure element 8l. These members may be secured together in anysuitable manner and be provided with packing therebetween as shown. Thelower member or element 19 of the housing is provided with an annularinner surface 82 form-ing the lower boundaries of a passageway whichextends entirely through -the housing and when the gate sectors are inretracted position is unobstructed, the size of the passage beinglimited only by the annular surface 82, the intermediate annular surface83 and upper annular surface 8d. On each side of the passagewayextending through the device the lower element 'F9 is provided with apair of recesses 85 which correspond to the recesses 2| in the form ofthe invention shown in Fig. l.. Each of these recesses is adapted ftocontain a pivotally mounted gate sector 22 which is in all respectssimilar to the gate sectors previously described in connection with theother form of the invention. These sectors are shown in the closedposition in Figs. 6 and '7.

The intermediate member '.'3 of the housing is also provided with a pairof oppositely disposed recesses indicated by numerals 86 which areadapted rto receive another form of gate sector indicated by referencenumeral 22a. The sectors 22a. may be used in place of the sectors 22 ofFig. l if desired. These sectors 22a differ from the type previouslydescribed in being provided with semi-circular recesses 8l adapted tocooperate when the parts are in closed position to surround and abutagainst a pipe extending through the device in order to close off theannular space surrounding the pipe. Thus, in this form of the inventionthe rubber or resilient plate indicated by 45a is provided with a recessor semicircular cutout portion S3 to surround the pipe asaforementioned. Similarly the top plate 46a is provided with a recess8g.

In order to provide for the contingency that the pipe or casingextending through the outer casing 17 and indicated in Fig. 8 at 9U maynot be concentric with the outer `casing at the time it is desired tomove the gate sectors 22a from a point of retraction shown in Fig. 6 toa point of closure about the pipe shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8, apipe centering means comprisingthe ridges or projections 92 are providedon the surface of the plate iia. In operation as the guide sectors 22are moved inwardly these ridges or guide projections engage a pipe whichmay be oiic center as indicated in Fig. 5 and by reason of theircurvature engage and guide the pipe to a concentric position relative tothe outer casing as the gate sectors are moved to a position of closure.

In this form of the invention any suitable system of supplying fluidpressure to the above two gate sectors 22a and to the bottom two gatesectors 22 may be provided so that these pairs of sectors may beoperated independently of each other.

The gate sectors 22a, have been shown provided with semi-circularrecesses, however it is contemplated that these members may be providedwith recesses of any suitable configuration so that the elements may beclosed about a non-circular member, such as a Kelly, for example.

Although the invention has been shown and described with reference toparticular preferred forms, it is contemplated that various ychanges andmodiiications can be made within the scope of the invention and it isintended to cover such changes as come within the claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the class described, a housing having a passagetherethrough; a pair of elements pivotally mounted in said housing onopposite sides of said passage and movable into said passage to aposition of engagement to close said passage; said elements cooperatingwith said housing to form a fluid pressure chamber behind each elementisolated from the passage through the housing, the rear side of eachelement forming a pivotally movable wall of each' chamber having themajor portion of its surface disposed to one side of the pivotal axis ofthe element whereby fluid pressure in the chamber will tend to pivot theelement; and means for introducing fluid under pressure into saidchambers to move said elements partially out of said recesses into theVpassage to a position of engagement.

2. In a device of the class described, a housing having a passagetherethrough; a pair of elements pivotally mounted in said housing onopposite sides of said passage and movable into said passage to aposition of engagement to close said passage; said elements cooperatingwith said housing to form a fluid pressure chamber behind each elementisolated from the passage through the housing, the rear side of eachelement forming a pivotally movable wall of each chamber having themajor portion of its surface disposed to one side of the pivotal axis ofthe element whereby iiuid pressure in the chamber will tend to pivot theelement; means for introducing fluid under pressure to said chambers tomove said elements partially out of said recesses into the passage to aposition of engagement; and means connecting said elements forsynchronous movement.

3. In a device of the class described, a housing having a passagetherethrough; a pair of elements pivotally mounted in said housing onopposite sides of said passage and movable into said passage to aposition of engagement to close said passage, said elements cooperatingwith said housing to form a fluid pressure chamber behind each elementisolated from thepassage through the housing, the rear side of eachelement forming a pivotally movable Wall of each chamber having themajor portion of its surface disposed to one side of the pivotal axis ofthe element whereby fluid pressure in the chamber will tend to pivot theelement; means for introducing fluid under pressure to said chambers tomove said elements partially out of said recesses into the passage to aposition of engagement; means connectingsaid elements for synchronousmovement; and means operable by iiuid pressure Iconnected to saidelements for moving same in either direction.

4. In a device of the type described, a housing having a passagetherethrough and having a recess on each side of said passage oppositely'disposed to each other, said recesses each having an arcuate surfaceterminating at its inner margin at said passage; a gate sector pivotallymounted in each recess rotatable to a position of engagement with eachother to close the passage through said housing, said sectors eachhaving a major arcuate surface juxtaposed to the arcuate surface of therecesses and having a minor arcuate surface at the opposite side andcloser to the axis of rotation of the sector than said major arcuatesurface; means on each sector engageable with the walls of the recess toform a iiuid seal at the margins of the rear side of each sector exceptin the region of said minor arcuate surface; means in said housingengageable with the minor arcuate surface of each sector to form a fluidseal therewith whereby a fluid chamber is formed behind each sector; andmeans for introducing uid pressure to said chambers to move said sectorspartially out Aof said recesses into said passage to a position ofengagement.

5. In a device of the class described, a housing having a passagetherethrough and having a pair of recesses, one on each side of saidpassage, said recesses each having an arcuate sur face, the radius ofwhich is less than the vertical distance but greater than one-half suchdistance between the top and bottom of the recess,Y the axis of eacharcuate surface being located adjacent the top wall of the recess ashort distance to one side of the passage through the housing; a gatesector pivotally mounted in each recess on the respective axes of saidarcuate surfaces of said recesses, said sectors each having a minorarcuate surface positioned closely adjacent the top of the recess; meansin said housing engageable with said minor arcuate surface of eachsector to form a fluid seal; means on each sector engageable with thewalls of the recess to form a uid seal at the margins of the.

rear side of each sector except in the region of said aforementionedseal whereby a fluid chamber is formed behind each sector; and means forintroducing fluid pressure to said chambers to move said sectorspartially out of said recesses into the passage to a position ofengagement with each other.

ROBERT B. SPRAGUE.

